The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-07-13
CENTRAL AFRICA.

Professor Oscar LEM, who re-
Gently returned TO Vienna after his
long and fatiguing journey across
the Continent of Africa, did not
suffer any impairment of health. He
attributes his fortunate escape from
all ailments to his observance of
dietary rules. lie never ate raw
fruit or drank unboiled water. He
lived mostly on rice, chicken and
tea. Wine and spirits he did not
touch. lie was also careful to avoid
bathing in the rivers and pools of
clear cool water, so tempting to
travellers, but which SO often give
deadly chills. lie dressed in fan
nels and exposed himself as little as
possible to night air. In this way
he passed unscathed through re-
gions infected with marsh feyers,
ague and smallpox. Almost the
whole of his journey across the
African Continent was performed on
foot.
DIR. LEM was publicly received
by the Geographical Society of
Vienna on the 10th April and read
his report. Then lie went to Ham
burg to ship back four negro servants
whom he had hired on the east coast
of Africa, and who had been his
companions ever since. These men
were very faithful and gave no sort
of trouble they were never called
upon, however, to defend their
master against aggression, for Dir.
Lenz travelled with an extraordinary
immunity from personal danger at
the the hand of man. Once, he
said, he heard arrows whirring over
his head, but lie did not see who
had attacked him. In general, the
demeanor of the natives in all re-
gions was most friendly. He always
made it point to avoid doing any
thing that might alarm them. He
exhibited no weapons, and eudeavor-
ed to show by his manner and lam
guage, and by the ready offer of
presents, that he came as a friend.
1t is his glad boast that he has never
had to use a lirearm for self-defense
against any human being.
From Hamburg he went to Brus-
sells to make his report to the King
of the Belgians, who took the most
generous interest in his expedition,
and from Brussels he hopes to pro-
coed to London. He has q great
deal to say about the British mis-
sionaries in Africa, but not much
that is favorable. He renders full
justice to the good intentions of the
missionaries and to the Scottish and
| London societies that send them out.
but he says that they waste large
sums of money for very small re-
suits. The negroes who are taught
by them to read and write mostly
become unfit for any manuel occupa-
ton. They consider themselves as
| good as a white man, think it I'M
dignified to toll, and when not en-
| gagged in holding large and noisy
prayer meetings, at which every man
wants to take his turn at preaching,
they roam about begging, and take
it very ill if they cannot live alto
gether on doles from their white
fellow Christians. The European
factories have learned to beware OF
these men, and will not give them
employment, so most of them end
by relapsing into barbarism aud
vagabondage, their last state being
worse than their first, as the rene
gade negro Christian almost always
turns criminal.
Dir. LEM declares that the Stats
tics of conversions sent home by the
missionaries are utterly misleading,
for they never mention relapses.
He says that the only truly success
full missionaries are the Jesuits,. who
go on the principle of teaching 9
man first to work, and who endeavoi
to develop whatever special aptitudes
he may have in him. By this system,
based on the maxim ldb0rdre eSl
ordre, they train excellent workmer
and laborers, who are in general re.
quest, and who by their example
convert others to Christianity. II
is pity that the Protestant mis-.
sionaries do not take pattern by the
Jesuits.- Vienna Corr. London